Gilded Cages
by marylouleach
Summary: The vampire remained motionless in the dark of his prison; his eyes clasped shut as if he were sleeping. However Vampires didn't sleep, or rather this one did not. Sleeping would bring dreams; dreams were solely a human condition, whereas nightmares, nightmares were what plagued the sleep of the immortal. Sherlock knew he was a monster...
1. Chapter 1 caged beasts

Mycroft watched as his brother was dragged in and thrown non to gently into one of the safe rooms. He needed to detox, why he chose to feed on drug addicted humans was beyond the older Holmes.

The stink alone was off putting, he knew better than try and communicate with his younger kin, the last time he'd made that psychic connection and he came away with a bloody nose and a seizure for his troubles.

"He wont last if he keeps this up Mycroft. You should just end him and be done with it. The boy is damaged goods, a shame really he had such potential. However you see now what sentiment will buy you. Foolish child! It disgusts me knowing we carry the same blood, but _his_ mother was weak."

"She was _my_ mother as well brother."

Mycroft growled glaring at his older brother. Sherrinford Holmes shrugged "Well there was that."

Again the ginger haired vampire growled in warning, his sharp teeth threatening.

"Oh, please. Fine. So touchy about _her_. She was weak. Her kindness was like poison. Look what all that did to him-"

"and she was nothing like the woman who birthed you. Soulless and cruel. Having to be put down by her own sire."

"And yours was no better she put herself down. Walking out into the sun before she was well." Sherrinford snapped "Weak. Like him! And if I had the-"

"You will leave. He is my brother and I will not put him down like one of your dogs! "

"Fine, but mark my words brother dear, Sherlock is just another liability. If father were alive-"

"Ah, yes. **_Him_**. Well he's not alive and I do believe it was I who seized his power, thus making me the Head of our house. Not you brother. _**Me**_. So I suggest you return to your dog training."

" Oh speaking of training. How is our dear silver mutt doing? Such a shame you've let him run wild. If you would just give him to me for training. These Wolves have forgotten what it is to blood bonded to a family. He wouldn't be so defiant-."

The ginger haired vampire snarled showing his teeth in warning.

"Very well." Sherrinford turned on his heels, the expensive Italian leather shoes making no noise as he moved down the corridor, his hands thrust angrily into his dark suit pockets.

Mycroft continued to stand in front of the locked door his youngest brother was currently held in. There had to be a way to save him, or Sherrinford was right he would need to put Sherlock out of his misery.

"Sire." One of Mycroft's haflings approached her sharp black eyes focusing on the mobile in her hands. "The Detective Inspector is here for your five o'clock. Should I move the meeting?" Mycroft didn't glance back at the heavy door, reinforced with solid steel and glazed with silver it was made to keep a vampire in.

"No, I'll be there in a moment. Please be sure our guest is comfortable. " The dark haired vampire with ruby red lips and a black pin skirt suit nodded turning on her heels she was sure to keep up with the flow of information streaming through her phone.

_**~0~**_

Lestrade paced in front of the fireplace in the lavishly decorated sitting room. On any other day and in any other home he would allow himself to bask in the warmth.

However the many off putting scents that this place reeked of added to the unease that he was severely out numbered. The Alpha Wolf hated that the head of the Holmes Coven wished to speak to him here deep within the vamps territory. The Were was at a disadvantage but the treaty was in place and his bosses wished to keep communication between the Wolves and the Vamps open and well peaceful.

It was all just an illusion, Lestrade was well aware of the fact that England was controlled by the Vampires. The immortal blood suckers made his skin crawl and nose twitch.

After four hundred years he thought he would be used to the idea of peace but too much blood had been spilled in his younger years, on both sides for such a thing to truly be accepted.

Anyway how was there equality when the Vamps ran the government and Wolves were the enforcers of Vamp law. Leaving the mortals with the short end of the evolutionary stick.

Well at least they had a common enemy right now, an upstart by the name of Moran.

This bastard was something twisted and Lestrade had a theory that it wasn't just Moran behind the production of this new street drug. It was called HEMA, and the ones who used it were called Bleeders.

HEMA was made with the addictive blood of a vamp, and the crazy addicts were getting better and better at capturing Vamps. They would then bleed the poor soulless bastard. Laws were in place to make sharing blood with a human or even a wolf for any purposes healing included highly illegal. Something punishable by death. A Vamp could only share blood with the intention of turning the human or bonding with a Were.

The bonding of a Were to a Vamp was an old archaic and cruel tradition no longer practiced. Well at least it was frowned upon, Were's weren't slaves anymore in this new free era. Still it wasn't unheard of for a Wolf to be admitted (forced) into a Vamps family.

Were's had a long tradition of safeguarding the lands of Vampires and acting as their servants. Those days ended with the great Wars hundreds of years ago.

Lestrade knew he would rather be dead then forced into submission and obedience training. He served no one but the Yard and his pack. A bleeder took on the blood, fiend for it and slowly lost themselves to the siren's call. Unfortunately vampire blood wasn't meant for such consumption, after a few weeks the addict started to loose their hair, pigment in their eyes, then their teeth became sharp and jagged. Nothing like the delicate beauty of a vamp, more like a strung out junkie.

These Bleeders often wore all black with a red cuff on their bicep, idiots were proud of their addiction and the blood did make them crazy as well as strong.

After too long the bleeder started feeding on humans that's when things got messy. Lestrade and his pack at the yard were being pressured by the humans, and the vamps. Were's weren't targeted so they were being accused of being in league with the dealers.

The fragile peace was being threatened and Lestrade had a feeling that something needed to happen or all hell would break loose. He needed help and coming here was part of how bad it was getting. Lestrade needed to talk to the youngest Holmes.

He knew the young man was on his own downward spiral, addicted to less than clean humans. Yes there were still ordinary street drugs contaminating the systems of the fragile humans. Sherlock Holmes had been caught running a drug den, he helped the humans get high then he would sell said human to a vampire to feed off of.

It was the perfect scheme until Lestrade had caught wind and then Mycroft Holmes became involved. The Detective Inspector had six of his finest pack members in the hospital after they subdued the young strung out vamp. Lestrade had a feeling that the youngest Holmes could help lead them to Moran, the Vamp had connections after all. Now, Lestrade just had to convince Mycroft Holmes.

_**~0~**_

The vampire remained motionless in the dark of his prison; his eyes clasped shut as if he were sleeping. However Vampires didn't sleep, or rather this one did not.

Sleeping would bring dreams; dreams were solely a human condition, whereas nightmares, nightmares were what plagued the sleep of the immortal.

Sherlock knew he was a monster, and even now in this hellish prison locked in the unfurnished room, he felt the darkness of soul start to fester. Pushing at him and all he wished to do was silence it, he needed his fix needed more. The last addict he fed on wasn't enough. He needed more, needed to shut out the screaming that plagued him that weighed him down and kept him shackled to his hunger.


	2. Chapter 2 uncaged

John tore from his nightmare the young Doctor sat up panting he looked around the dimly lit room, the television was playing low and there was warm conversation in the corner. John realized he had fallen asleep on the big worn out couch.

"John? Doc? You okay?" Dimmock called from the far corner where he was playing cards with the caramel skinned female Were, Donovan.

"Yeah, I just-overslept?" John squinted at his watch.

"Or under slept." Donovan slapped her cards down happily to Dimmock's disappointment he growled in irritation. "Really Watson you're only human. Can't keep up the hours you've been runnin. Between the hospital and that halfway house, you'll burn yourself out."

"Yeah, anyway Doc it's not like Lestrade didn't say you could stay as long as you wanted." Dimmock started to shuffle the cards.

"After all you did for Constable Richards and Mayhew. Not to mention the scrapes you've been cleaning up on our primary pack. It's nice to have a live in Doc in the house. It's not like you need money. Besides who cares about a bunch of homeless halfbreeds. If the vamps don't want em-" It was Donovan talking now, unaware of John's irritation at her referring to the orphaned halflings as unwanted. It wasn't a child's fault their parents didn't want anything to do with them. They were products of lust and sometimes rape, abandoned to the streets. Weres were nothing like that, they took in an orphan as if the child was their very own. Vampires weren't like this, if a child was anything but pure blooded they tended to just abandon them and the human that carried them. John hated the practice of blood dolls, selling your blood and body for the riches of a Vamp sometimes one got more than they bargained for.

"I am grateful for your boss letting me stay here free of rent. Despite the smell of dog and the fact that anytime I meet with a non human patient they sniff at me curiously." Ever the diplomat John cut off the familiar rant politely.

"What?" Both Donovan and Dimmock narrowed their eyes looking over at the blond human.

John stretched rubbing a hand through his already disheveled hair, he frowned at his feet.

Somehow he couldn't remember taking off his shoes."Hmmm?" he yawned turning his head to look over the side of the couch at the two.

"Who has been sniffing around?" Donovan demanded.

"Just anyone really. Ever since I started living here anytime I get on the tube and then at the hospital. I had a few vamp administrators sneeze rather dramatically around me. Then the kids at Rosehouse they mentioned I stink. It's not so bad, the vamps steer clear but other Weres just get closer and-"

"Like who?!" Both Donovan and Dimmock were on their feet now, nearly knocking over the square card table in their wake.

"What's all the noise." Anderson grumbled coming into the large living area. His mouth was full and John always found his nasally voice to be annoying. However Donovan had invited him over and he had yet to leave, despite the fact he reeked of a human female.(something Dimmock liked to point out.) The tall thin pointy nose were wore a simple button up white shirt with the sleeves rolled over his forearms.

"Wankers have been sniffing around John." Donovan snapped. Dimmock glared at Anderson,

"Why is he still here. The boss doesn't-"

"The boss doesn't care. Besides Lestrade has not been here in almost a month he's so busy running with the vamps. Poor sod-"

"Just because he's not here doesn't mean he likes you fraternizing with Anderson. Besides he's a forensics idiot."

"Hey! I'm still here. And my job is just as important as yours constable." Anderson fumed, clutching the bag of crisps at his side. John winced, knowing those were in fact Dimmocks.

"It's not constable anymore you wanker it's DI Dimmock. And are those my crisps?" Dimmock took a threatening step towards the thinner were.

John rolled his eyes, indeed the young were had just come into a promotion and was happy to wear a smart although cheap suit. The whole house had celebrated and John wasn't too happy with the mess afterwards. He made the hung over rowdy bunch start to clean up the mess of paper plates, beer bottles and ripped articles of clothing. Apparently a few of the party goers thought they wanted to transform in the middle of the party to wrestle and do what Weres usually did.

John had only happily sidestepped the party and read a book in his room, only to come down and turn a hose on two overzealous Weres snarling and snapping at each other in the front yard.

"Hey Doc!" Constable Keller padded into the room wearing his sweats and a gray MET t-shirt. The young man stretched hopping over the couch he plopped down next to John, kicking his feet out onto the blonde's lap.

John had grown accustomed to the casual way in which the pack treated him. The house was an old warehouse converted into a living space. Several bedrooms were shared upstairs by the unbonded pack members that lived in the home. John understood that this was how the home was run, the pack that worked together also lived together.

Lestrade was a DI and the others followed his lead, Lestrade was unbonded although according the house gossip he had dated a human for a bit only for her to run off with some Vamp. But he never talked about it and it was apparently a long time ago. John had yet to meet the man, those directly under him lived here. The bonded pack members had their own domiciles but still popped in for dinner or a drink, maybe to watch some rugby. Lestrade was just a senior DI's of the Homicide division, and this was his team. The young doctor felt a warmth here comfortable in this close knit family environment, he had never experienced anything like this before.

John somehow was adopted in, and all just for helping Dimmock out of a sticky situation with a crazed bleeder. It happened when John had been getting off of work when he caught the scuffle. Bleeders could be so unpredictable and the young DI was trying to take her on after she'd already incapacitated two of his men. Long story short John came up from behind and brought a rather heavy bit of pipe down on her head. Thankfully she hadn't seen him, he couldn't take the chance she knew him or his sister. Even with the threat of being found out like in the army he couldn't leave the young were to be badly injured. After that Dimmock had offered him a place to stay one better than the small bedsit he called home at the time.

John wondered what this DI Lestrade was like, everyone spoke of him with such respect. He was off on some secret mission everyone was so hush hush about John knew they were worried as well because of the comments they made.

"Bastards have been scenting John-"

"Who!?" Keller was pulling his feet off of John's lap he jumped onto all fours and sniffed the top of the blond's head.

"Oi! Don't you do it too! And I didn't say they were scenting me I said they were sniffing around." John huffed leaning back away from the red haired Keller. "What's the big deal." John moved off the couch Keller and the others were all frowning in his direction.

"Seriously it's adorable how much you don't know." Donovan took the deck from Dimmock and started to shuffle, shaking her head almost amused by John's ignorance.

Anderson rolled his eyes not liking the fact the female was showing interest in the human, now that was a turn up. Humans were boring and so very very predictable at least that's how his wife was. He should have mated with his own kind.

"It's simply disrespectful considering you've been absorbed into this pack. For others to simply try and scent you is well it's a challenge. "

"Oh, god. That's ridiculous. They aren't hurting anybody besides, I'm not afraid or threatened."

"The Vamps have more sense than to touch what's already been claimed." Donovan glanced over at Dimmock, he had been beating around the bush for a month now. The idiot should hurry and just turn the human, get it over with. Coward. If he wasn't going to then she would happily make the Doctor her mate. He was smart, and well not bad to look at, a bit on the short side but she liked to dominate her males and females. Anderson after all was just a quick frolic John could make the perfect mate, that and he would be a good addition, officially to their pack. Having a doctor in the house was actually rather genius. Dimmock was being a blood fool.

Lestrade hadn't met the man yet but she was in charge while the boss was busy and he approved of her opinion and had given the nod for Dimmock to mate and turn the human. However Dimmock the idiot had yet to even let the Doctor know of his interest.

Now others were sniffing around, and why shouldn't they an unclaimed find such as Doctor John Watson was highly valued. The man had mentioned he was briefly in the army and she wondered what had ended his career he never spoke much about himself but no one questioned the younger man. He obviously didn't like to talk about it.

John rolled his eyes "What am I not getting?"

"Dimmock would love to explain it to you." Donovan grinned when the newly promoted constable started to blush, and Keller tried to stifle a laugh. "Or I could-" Sally laughed when both Anderson and Dimmock growled in objection to such a proposal.

"Dimmock?" John felt confused sometimes he wished he could have the same strong sense of smell. Had he been scented? Why would any find him to be interesting, he made it his life's mission to go unnoticed. If these Weres knew where he came from, who his family was, they would truly hate him. Possibly kill him slowly.

The front door slammed open, "I said I don't need a bloody watch dog! I can take care of myself!" a deep voice hissed.

John was suddenly crowded by the Weres in the living room, to his surprise even Anderson had joined in the huddle. Several growls filled the air and the mortal rolled his eyes once more. He had been raised around Weres rather was made to help keep them fed and alive so his father could keep them fighting in the dog fights. However he wasn't used to the their ways outside of the ring, in everyday life. They were so much more human. Not that he ever judged them to be any less valuable than himself.

His life was worthless really he had done things and stood idle as crimes were committed by his uncle or the vampire that claimed to be his uncle and his sister an enforcer a Bleeder.

"Everyone calm down!" A gravely voice demanded and John felt the tension lessen however no one moved out from around him and he hated his height.

"I'm not interested in whatever human you've marked so obscenely with your filthy scents. " The deep honeyed voice was cutting and cold, John curiously tried to peek around Dimmock who had a possessive hand at the small of John's back.

"Boss? What the hell is a vamp doing here, in the house! You invited him in!" Donovan sounded as if she was ready to be sick, her nose crinkled and she held the back of her hand under her nose.

"He's my guest and he will be treated as such! Now-" John managed to step around the protective shield, he wasn't some weak human. His blue eyes found the warm chocolate of the silver haired man in a gray trench coat. This was Lestrade he guessed and by the way the older Werewolf had stopped talking he hadn't expected John to be there or was just surprised by John's appearance.

"What the fuck-" Lestrade froze in his place, a sudden memory flashed before the older man's eyes and he turned slowly to the young vamp that had gone completely still.

"Is this a joke?" The dark haired blood drinking addict snarled. "Did you think you could get to me!"

John realized something was terribly wrong when those cold gray eyes turned their sharp fury in his direction. Suddenly the room went cold, and John knew this feeling, knew it from experience a hand went to his right forearm out of instinct and he took a step back.

Chaos broke when Keller and Anderson were the first to be sent flying against the far wall, then Donovan followed.

It was Dimmock who had the sense to transform John was pushed back by the force of it and landed hard against the wall behind him near the stunned and groaning pack members.

The Vampire advanced with a savage snarl and John realized he was the target of the attack, that unquestionable rage was aimed at him. His first thought was " They've found me." Terrified he backed up against the wall, unable to look away from his coming death.


	3. Chapter 3 commands

_**Chapter 3: Commands**_

Sherlock snapped himself out of whatever red haze that nearly overcame his vision. The echos of his past stirring up he halted within a breath of the human, a mortal. He smelled alive, not a ghost not the nightmare that would haunt him.

Without a word he turned on his heels and with the swoosh of his dark coat he was gone from the room, leaving the Weres to pant and growl, all but one Were.

Lestrade didn't follow the Vampire out, he was focused on the trembling young man.

"Who are you?" he found his voice, and it was a dark growl.

"John-John Watson." The human replied.

"Boss, we told you about him-" Donovan tried to interject rubbing her arm, Dimmock was still transformed his sandy fur raised and he let out a warning snarl. The gray haired DI met his glare and immediately the wolf bowed his head whimpering and backing away.

"Boss? What's the problem? John is a doctor he's helped us out and-"

Lestrade glared at his second in command, he didn't have to state his reasons, his suspicions, because he like the Holmes brothers did not believe in coincidences.

"I can vouch for him-" Donovan tried to ease the situation, putting her back to the human. Dimmock and the others had transformed back careless as to their state of undress.

"You can't tell me you don't trust John because some damn blood drinking demon freaked out and nearly ate him! And in our home! Disrespectful bastards the lot of them! They don't own us-" Dimmock growled irritably.

"I want everyone out I need to speak to -" Lestrade sniffed the air, it was cold there was a draft and he shook his head, of course the window hadn't been open earlier. And of course the human had fled, the human that looked so much like another he once knew.

One that was long dead but whose face would haunt him and he knew by stories of the human's demise it should very much taunt the Vampire Sherlock.

**_~0~_**

**_SUMMER OF 1450_**

"It's dark here, let me light the lantern mind your eyes." A hushed voice broke the shivering Were's fevered thoughts."You're injured, let me help you."

"Touch me and I'll rip your foul arm from your blood drained body!" The silver haired young Were snarled, his breathing heavy. He was too weak to transform. In such a state he was dangerous, wounded but still dangerous.

"Please." The blond human held up his hands and lowered his head, "I don't mean you harm."

"Harm!" the Were's laugh was raspy and harsh, he held a hand to his bruised side and winced at the burning pain in his shoulder. "Harm. You and your pretty words. Did your master send you in to poison my thoughts, to make me healthy once more so I can fight for his pleasure?"

"No." The human shook his head, it was dark but the Were could see the figure of a young man barely a young man. He reeked of vamp, the musk of the dead and also he carried with him fresh air. Fresh air and with it the memory of sunshine and open fields.

"No. I'm not doing this for him, or anyone." The boy was in his early twenties, clean shaven, wearing the clothes of a house servant.

"Free me then."

"I can't-"

"What good is being healed then?" The Were roared grabbing the young boy by his white shirt front.

The boy winced, it was then the Were could smell the blood on the young man.

"I didn't say I wont help you. But what good will it be if I help you escape and you're too injured to run? To get away? They'll catch you and knowing that bastard Sherrinford Holmes he'll do worse than kill you. He'll make an example out of you. Cripple you, like he did me. Then you will never see your family."

The Were shook his head releasing the boy, sensing only sadness in the boy and no deception. The mortal limped over where the shirtless man had gone to lay.

"I've brought water and I'll clean that wound."

"Why do you help me?" Lestrade demanded tensing as the boy gently took his arm to examine the wound red and angry.

"I want out. I need to get out. I have a wife I would like to return to."

"Humph, wife? My bitch of a wife decided to run away with one of the blood drinking demons. She betrayed me to this."

"What is your name?" The blond asked offering a canteen of cool water to the thirsty man's parched lips.

"Gregory Lestrade."

"Well Lestrade there are others here. The dogs of Sherrinford, and I mean to free them all before he manages a blood bond."

"You'll do that? Again why?"

"We are all prisoners. I wish this fate on no one. They've taken my sister and my life from me. I will escape just please take me with you where you go. Help me find my wife again."

"If I live I give you my word."

The blond boy nodded, "I trust your word."

"God help me I trust yours."

_**~0~**_

Lestrade snapped out of the memory before it could go much further, he hated to remember the past. Hated the thought of being caged the stench of that cell's cold damp walls.

"Find him. Bring him back." Lestrade ordered his pack, and without hesitation they all transformed once more.

**_~0~_**

John ran, he was barefoot but didn't care, that Vampire recognized him it wouldn't take much for him to take him back to his Uncle or worse Moriarty. The human shivered, he needed to make haste to hide. Despite the fear of recapture, his heart ached for the good work he had been doing. Helping out at the children's shelter living at life at the hospital. He almost felt normal for a little while there.

The air was cold on his skin, he could get to the hospital he had an extra pair of clothes and shoes in his locker. He would need to go farther away, but where, he only had a meager savings.

The air left his lungs as he was slammed hard against the brick of the alley building he had been running down and everything went black.

**_~0~_**

**_WINTER OF 1448_**

"I've brought you a present little brother." Mycroft strode into the young Vamp's laboratory. He made a face at the stench of something boiling and the many chemicals laying about dangerously aware of the silver laying across a corpse.

"Sherlock, you really shouldn't play with your food." The elder brother sighed.

"He was already dead, it was some traitor that Sherrinford gave to me for scientific purposes."

"How giving he can be." Mycroft's usual sardonic reply caused the younger vampire to roll his eyes and wave his brother off.

"I don't want it."

"It's a gift from father, you can't say no."

"I can and I will."

"He's healthy and father has already chosen the other blood sacrifice to be turned. This one, you can turn or drain. Just keep him alive longer than the last."

"I don't want a blood doll. They are common creatures that cry and moan. If I wanted to hear that I'd sit in father's court-"

"Sherlock! You will take this one and you will feed regularly! His blood is untouched but he smells nice enough." Mycroft huffed, placing his hands behind his back a normal sign of impatience.

"That long coat makes you appear fatter than you are. Red clashes with your ridiculous hair. Really you should shoot or eat your tailer. " Sherlock grinned knowing his brother hated any remark on his perceived perfect appearance.

The tall vampire with red hair and a pointy nose snapped his fingers and his men dragged the prisoner in tossing him at the younger vampires feet.

"I will tell father you are grateful for such a gift."

"If you don't need my services I'll be all too happy to go home-" the human stood up dusting off. He was young, his face slightly tanned proof that he worked his father's fields. Sherlock could see the human had been stripped of his outerwear as a precaution. The young vampire winced hearing the human's chaotic thoughts screaming for freedom and release. Even now the mortal was searching for a way out. Boring.

"Do what you want but he is not to be set free and if he escapes well you know the punishment. Don't make me find you a new one, I do hate leg work."

Mycroft left and the blond human glanced around in horror, "Please let me go home. You don't want me. I'm nothing. I have a family and-"

"Your father must have displeased mine for him to demand blood sacrifices. "

"We had wolves on our land." The mortal straightened his shoulders, "My father is an honorable man and he was healing them. What your father massacres and enslaves. Mine heals and houses."

Your father is a monster, just as you and your brother are. I will kill you when you sleep and escape here. Freedom! Mary, Mary. I have to get back to Mary.

Sherlock winced, did the human have to think so damn loudly.

"It's an act of war. Foolish man your father to do such a thing. Wolves are dangerous foul stupid creatures that are used to protect our lines, and our lands. They make good pets and wonderfully loyal attack dogs."

The blond wanted to say more but he didn't reply, instead he lowered his head and glared at his bootless feet.

You are the animals. Wolves never stole our women, bleed our people hunted our children. Never murdered our mothers. Foul beast, the reek of you makes me ill and I will leave here after I kill you. You won't feed on me without a fight. I need boots, and a coat. It's cold out, the snow. Gods Mary is alone.

"Can I at least have some warm clothes." The blond human was wearing a thin white tunic and short pants, his feet were covered by wool socks.

"It seems that my brother considers you a runner. I can read it in your thoughts even now you are considering the impossible. Fleeing would not be in your best interest. Although it would save me from the tedious task of feeding on you. However my brothers would be displeased and there displeasure would disrupt my current experiment. So, I'll ask you to not run away. And I will of course deny your request. Go sit quietly by the fire until I feel the need to call on you."

Shit, shit! He reads thoughts. Probably reading mine right now. Shut up! Fuck. How long has he been listening in? He knows. No, no he doesn't or you'd be dead. Stop thinking!

"Aren't you even going to ask me my name?" The human grumbled.

"It is irrelevant." the vampire huffed, turning back to his work table.

"Johann for the record. And what should I call you? Master? Warden? Monster?"

"Whatever you wish. I care not. Just be silent and quiet your thoughts they are very distracting to me."

**_~0~_**

Sherlock stared down at the human on his couch, the blond was starting to wake his eyes blinking in confusion.

Then he was sitting straight up a hand to the back of his most likely throbbing head, thankfully there was no broken skin or the smell of blood.

"I'm not going back." That was the first thing out of the human's mouth. He could be Johann's twin, the same blue eyes and soft blond hair. Although this version wasn't so young and there were a few more worry lines added to this man's brow. His skin had seen the sun, but not as a laborer. His hands weren't calloused he was a Doctor perhaps a surgeon. He wasn't dressed for the cool weather nor did he have shoes on. Interesting.

Sherlock leaned closer easily straddling the human, expecting an onslaught of thoughts and images instead there was nothing. Curious.

"Who are you?" The deep baritone demanded, a cold hand lashing out to capture the mortal's fragile neck. Effectively pinned the blond tried to swallow, he gasped and coughed. "I said, who are you?"

"I can't breath you bastard!" John grunted futilely bringing his knees up desperately arching against the solid and surprisingly strong lean body from him.

"Answer the question!" Sherlock couldn't help but lean in closer, his body enjoying the warmth of the shorter and warmer one. He felt a familiar stirring and didn't try to hide it, his eyes inspecting the face of the stranger not stranger beneath him.

The doctor thought he was in for it, but this Vamp didn't know him, and by the way he was eyeing him suspiciously it was like he was trying to read his thoughts. John easily threw up a brick wall, having been raised around blood suckers his whole life he knew how to avoid this part. However the fact that something hard was digging into his hip wasn't helping with his concentration. Dammit all, why did this vampire have to look so perfect with his sharp cheekbones and disheveled dark locks.

It was a good thing the vamp couldn't read his thoughts, it would just encourage this possessive behaviour.

"How are you doing that?" The dark haired demon snapped, his gray eyes cold and narrowed.

John couldn't help but roll his own blue ones, right this one was using compulsion. John could feel the hair on his arms standing up, also not going to work he thought to himself.

"Fuck off-" John snapped, "Stop trying to compel me it wont work. And get the hell off of me!"

"It always works." the Vampire hissed suspiciously trying again, John could feel the tingling on his skin and he looked the porcelain demon in the eye and replied defiantly. The vampire moved off of him sitting back at the foot of the couch frowning.

"It wont work."

"Why not?" the vampire was pouting? He had a look of confusion on his face. "You're human enough."

"Yeah, and I'd like to stay that way."

"I don't care what you want. I'm not here to take you back to your pets. Or are you the pet?" The Vampire made a face sniffing the air around the blond human. "They've mate scented you. You are far too perfect to be a wolf."

"I was renting a room from them-" John rubbed his neck irritably. "Stop sniffing me, you're as bad as them! And I'm not going to be anyones mate. Or blood doll. I'll be going now."

"Not anymore."

"Oh?"

"You're staying here with me."

"No. I much rather like to be on my way."

"I'm not giving you a choice."

"And I'm not staying anywhere with you."

"Why did you run away? Who are you running from?"

John glared at the vampire, "Piss off."

Sherlock reached out and grabbed the human roughly by his shoulder, the human winced and whimpered instantly freezing.

To John's surprise he was released immediately a cool hand much gentler laying him back on the worn leather couch.

"What's wrong with your shoulder?" The question was gruff but John thought he read concern in the sharp features of the vampire.

"I was shot eight months ago. It's still a little sore."

"You were a soldier and you are a doctor. Interesting." The vampire inspected the human's face. "You have many secrets."

"As I said before piss off."

The vampire only continued to try and break through his thought barrier, it was giving John a headache, or perhaps that was the bump to the head.

"Fine, John Watson, Dr. John Watson. Now can I think I'll be on my way. And stop trying to read me dammit. It's creepy as hell."

John shot the vampire a glare, the vampire couldn't explain it but the blond wasn't scared he was more angry. His heart rate was calming and he was less of a frightened mouse caught by a cat and more like a cornered kitten suspicious and ready to show it's claws.

John needed to stay cool and calm, he let his fears get ahead of him, this vampire wasn't with his uncle, or he would already be halfway back to that awful place. So, if the vampire wasn't with Moran or Moriarty he was something else something just as dangerous. He was interested and John wasn't in the mood to play blood doll for some young vampire no matter how handsome.

There was a heavy knock on the door and before John could blink or protest the vampire had him sitting up and pushed behind him just in time to catch a glimpse of a man with red hair and a pointed nose. His porcelain skin was perfection and his movements to graceful to be human, his air of royalty gave him away right away. That and the sharp white fangs that peeked out just a bit from his red lips. This man in the expensive gray suit and red silk tie was a vampire and from the way the dark haired vamp was acting he wasn't a welcomed guest.


End file.
